Francisco Cerundolo Defeats Tommy Paul to lift second career title, first on grass 

Francisco Cerundolo captured his second tour-level title on Saturday when he moved past Tommy Paul 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 at the Rothesay International in Eastbourne.

The Argentine has won a personal-best 28 matches this season and picked up two victories on Saturday, closing out the final game of a rain-delayed semi-final win against Mackenzie McDonald with a break to love earlier in the day.

“I’m super happy. Yesterday I almost lost, 6-2, 4-1 [down]. I don’t know how I managed to turn it back,” Cerundolo said during the ATP 250 trophy ceremony. “And today, I played a really good four points in the morning and today I think I played an amazing final. It was super tough, super windy.

“I’m really happy to get my second title on grass. To be honest, I didn’t expect it, to win a title here. But I’m really happy with the work we’ve been doing with my team and everyone back in Argentina because to win here, for me it’s something special.”

The 24-year-old produce a hard-fought display in the blustery Eastbourne conditions, with the fourth seed striking 28 winners to triumph after one hour and 51 minutes.

Cerundolo has now won two tour-level titles, having triumphed in Bastad last year. He remains at No. 19 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, maintaining his career-best position.

Paul was denied his second ATP Tour title, his 2021 Stockholm triumph remaining his lone tour-level singles crown. The second-seeded American reached the final with a 6-4, 6-3 win against Gregoire Barrere earlier on Saturday before the defeat to Cerundolo. With his final run, he moved up two places to No. 15 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, setting him up to equal his career high entering Wimbledon.